Type-writing machine.



.0.=L.ING,RAM.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JARBI, 1910.

' Pawn ted May 16, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

HlEJATTDRNI-LY iNVENTUR U. L. INGRAM.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31, 1910.

9921,2099 Patented May16,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NITNGEEQ Q lNVE-NTUR l-IISATTElF-ENEY" O. L. INGRAM. TYPE WRITINGMACHINE.

APYLIGATION FILED .TAN.31,1910.

Patented May 16, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

R m l WW f 6% UZM/ H15 ATTORNEY 'oirnn sT 'rns PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR L. INGRAM, 0F WALLA WALLA, WASHINGTON, ASSIG-NOR"'1O UNION TYPE-WRITER COMPANY, OF ILION, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters vllatent.

Patented May 16, 1911.

Application filed January 31, 1910. Serial No. 541,006.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Osmu L. INGRAM, citizen of the United States, andresident of W'alla- \Valla, in the county of lValla l'Valla and State ofWashington, have invented certain nei and useful Improvements inTypelVriting l\'lachincs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates especially to stop devices for typewriting machinesaud has for its main object the provision of automatically controlledmeans for arresting the traveling element or carriage at differentpointsin its travel so that lines of writing may be begun at different pointson the work sheet.

To the above and other ends, my invention consists in the features ofconstruction, combinations of devices and arrangements of parts,hereinafter described and particularly pointed out, in the claims.

In the present instance I have shown my invention as comprising novelmargin regulating devices adjustably mounted on the carriage of atypewriting machine, said devices coopeating with a stop on the sta. tionary frame of the machine during return movements of the carriage.

My. invention as herein exemplified is particularly adapted to thewriting of the headings of letters, including the date and addresslines, but it will be apparent that the invention. may be used in otherways besides the one explained below in detail.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of myinvention, Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the upper part ofa typewriting machine embodying my invention, only so much of themachine as is necessary to a clear understanding of said in ve1'1tionbeing shown. Fig. is a t'ragmmitary top plan view of the machine, partsbeing omitted. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of certain of the novel stopdevices mounted on the carriage. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the. supportfor the novel stop devices on the carriage, the bearings of said supportbeing shown in horizontal section. Figs. 5 and (3 are respectively abottom plan view and a rear elevationof the co operative stop devicemember on the frame of the. machine. Figs. to 11. inclusive areoperating views showing the various posiand rearward from the bar 6.

and 6 which are comprised in a rectangularcarriage truck, said truckfurther including end bars 7 connecting the bars 5 and 6. A platen frame8 is connected by links 9 to said truck and carries a cylindricalplate-n 10. The truck and platen frame constitute a carriage which isimpelled leftward by the usual carriage power or spring drum (not shown)and-is controlled by suitable escapement devices which are operated byprinting key levers which further actuate type bars to cooperate withthe front face of the platen. The printing and carriage feeding devices"just referred to, as well as line space turning devices for the platen,are

not shown in the drawings but are or'may he of the usual character.

The machine is preferably equipped with tabulating mechanism comprisinga. set of pivoted key controlled denominational. stop levers 11 arrangedat the rear of the ma chine in a. detachable frame 12 which is socuredby means including screws 13to the main framcof the machineand curvesforward over the top and sides of the set of denominational leversforming a housing or cover therefor. The usual angular arms or brackets14 are secured to the rear bar 6 of the truck by screws 15 and projectupward Ordinarily these arms support rigidly a column stop bar; but inthis instance the ordinary stop bar is replaced by a. rotary stop barparticularly adapted to the needs of my invent/ion.

Tn theprcsent case rectangular bearing blocks 16 are secured fixedly. tothe top rear portions of the arms 14 by headed screws 17 which passupward through {holes in the arms '14: and engage in tapped openin s 18in the bearing blocks 16. As will be apparent from Fig. 4 the bearingblocks are formed at their inner ends with round depressions or bearingopenings 19 which pro vide bearings for the trunnions or cylindricalbearing portions 20 of a stop carrying rack bar 21. The body of thisstop bar is rectangular in cross section and corre: sponds in characterwith the usual column stop bar, being formed at opposite faces withteeth 22 to provide openings or spaces 23 at letter space intervals. Atthe left-hand side between the body portion of the bar 21 and thetrunnion 20 is a reduced cylindrical por- .'tion or shoulder 24 whichabuts against the inner face of the contiguous block 16. Part 'of theleft-hand trunnion 20 is cut away to provide a circumferentialdepression or groove 25 in which fits a lug 26 carried by a stud 27secured to the inner free end of a flat spring 28 which extends leftwardalong "the bearing block and is secured near its outer end to saidbearing block by a headed screw 29. The stud 27 bears in a round hole inthe bearing block and said stud and the lug 2 6 which it carries arepressed constantly inward by the spring 28. The face of the lug 26contiguous to the bottom of the groove 25 is coneaved to conform to thebottom of said groove and the construction is such that the springmounted lug 26, while permitting the trunnion 20 and stop bar 21 to turnfreely, cooperates with the sides of the depression 25 to preventendwise movement of said trunnion in its bearing and consequent endwisemovement of the stop bar. The right-hand end of the body portion of thestop bar 21 terminates contiguous to the right-hand bearing; block 16 ina circular flange or enlargement 30, the pcriphery of which is knurled,said flange providing a finger piece for turning the stop bar by hand onits bearings. The right-hand trunnion 20'is cut away to provide areduced portion 31 which is squared or rectangular in cross section asappears from Figs. 4 and 9.

Projecting into the opening or groove 32 formed between the body of thetrunnion and the rectangularreduced portion 31 is a lug, 33 having aflat inner surface, said lug being integral with a round stud-34 seatedin an opening in the bearing block 16 and secured to and pressedconstantly inward by a flat s irin 35 which is attached b a headed screw36 to the-i'ighhhznid bearing block.

It will be understood that the Hat inner face of the; spring-pressedplunger or lug 33 will. coiiperate with each of thefour flat sides ofthe rectangular portion 31 to hold the stop bar 21 set in predeterminedrelations :with its bearings, the predetermined positions being aquarter turn distance apart. The stop I bar. 21 supports a plurality ofstop members,

each of which comprises a U-shaped body portion 37, the parallel sideswhereof are sufficiently flexible or yielding to fit into theinterdental. spaces 23 of the stop bar and frictionally engage said bar,thus enabling the stop members to be adjustably secured at desiredpoints along the stop bar.

Projecting diagonally from one corner of the body portion 37 of eachstop member is a. stop lug which is rectangular in cross section. Thestop lugs of all of the stop members are substantially alike, but forpurposes of description may be given different numbers, viz., 38, 39 and40. I have shown in the present instance three stop members eachprovided with a stop lug, but the construction may if necessary bealtered so as to provide for a greater or less number as the exigenciesof the system demand. The stop members are so arranged on the stop bar21 in the present case that the stop lugs project in differentdirections from the bar although each is disposed substantially radialof the axis of motion of the stop bar. Thus the stop lugs 38 and 40project in diametrically opposite directions from the stop bar. whilethe stop lug 39 is arranged at right angles to the other two. Thisdifferent disposition of thestop lugs may be aceon'iplishedby fittingthe 5110]) members to the bar from different sides and by turning themembers oppositely before placing them on the bar. It is further to benoted, as shown in Fig. 3. that the stop lug 38 is arranged atthe pointon the stop bar as indicated by the usual scale, while the stop lugs 39and ,40 are arranged respectively at the points 20 and 35 on saidstopbar.

The movable stops or stop lugs on the stop bar 21 are adapted tocooperate during return movements of the carriage with a stance issecured to the front upper part of the frame 12 and may be formedintegrally with the upper comb or guide plate of the denominational stoplevers 11. Such a combined comb plate and stop member is shown detachedin Figs. 5 and 6, Fig. 5 being a bottom plan and Fig. 6 being a rearelevation. 'lherornbined member also a 'ipears in l ig s. 1 and 2.Ttcompriscs a flatvertical portion 41 provided with guide teeth 42' forthe stop lovers and having holes 43. for securing screws. A hoodedportion 1 t curves forward from the top of the part 4-1 so as to overliethe stop bar 21. and permit the movable stop members to pass thereunder.Formed at. the under side of the hood-like port-ion 4-4. is a cam face45 which extends downward to cooperate with the movable stop lugs. Saidcam face inclines diagonally rearward from left; to right; as

most clearly appears in Fig. 5 and ltif'liilf nates at a stop face 4-6pro ecting downward from the under side of the hood 44, the stop face 46being at right angles to the cam face 45 and the two faces attheirjunction pro- 1 bringing the .stop lug with the cam face 45.

secured to the front of said frame so that the levers 11 may beprojected forward through the guide teeth of the plates 41 and 47 asheretofore without interference.

when the rotatable stop bar 21 is set so that the movable stop lugs arearranged as shown in Figs. 2 and 7, the stop lugs will pass freely toand fro under the hood 44 without contacting with the fixed stop memberdiiring to and fro movements of the carriage. Accordingly it isonlyneeessary to set the stop bar 21 in the Fig. 7 position when it isdesired to dispense with the use of my improvements.

As has been stated, the present embodiment of my invention isparticularly adapted to facilitating the writing of the headings ofletters, and the movable stop members in the present inst:-1ncc areadjusted along the stop bar 21 for this purpose, the stop lug 38 beingintended to cooperate with the fixed stop it arrest the carriage duringa return n'iovcmei'it thereof in the proper position for writing in thedate line at the beginning of a letter, while the stop lugs 39 and 40are respectively arranged to arrest the carriage for writing in the linecontaining the name and the line containing the address. The illustratedarrangement will cause the date line to be begun at 45 on the scale, thename line at 20 on the scale ..ud the address line at 35 on the scale.In the present case, as will be seen from Fig. 2, the usual stop 48 forthe left-hand margin is adjusted at the front of the carriage at thepoint. 10 on the carriage scale 4-5); while the stop 50 for therighthand margin is arranged at (35. These margin stops cooperate withthe fixed stop 51 on the frame of the machine to determine the marginsof the body of the work. The stop 48 will be effective to determine theleft-hand margin as long as the novel stop devices are arranged asindicated at Fig. 7. Supposing the carriage to be well toward the leftof its travel and that it is desired to begin a letter or othercommunication, the operator, by means of the knurled flange or fingerpiece 30, may turn the stop bar 521 by hand in the direction of thearrow in Fig. 7 until the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1 andS, with thestop lug 38 projecting upward and forward. The stopbar 21 andthe stop lugswill be held set in this position by the engagement of theflat faced lug or spring plunger 33 with one of the flat sides of therectangular part 31. The carriage is now retracted toward the right, 38into engagement After such engagement the further movement of thecarriage will be effective through the cam acting on the stop lug 38 toturn the stop bar 21 and the stop members thereon in the direction ofthe arrow in Fig. 8. This turning movement continues until the stop lug38 is arrested by contact with the stationary stop 46, at which time thestop lug 38 will be seated in the angular seat formed by said stationarystop and the cam and stop face 45 as shown in Fig. 9. From Fig. 9 itwill be seen that at this time the spring plunger is engaged with acorner of the rectangular part 31 and is exerting its force to continuethe turning movement of the parts in the direction of the arrow in Fig.9 but is restrained by the stop face 46. Thus the carriage will bearrested at the point 45 in the writing line and the writing of the datemay be begun without further delay. As the date line is written thecarriage will move step-by-step leftward, and the first few step-by-stepmovements will release the lug 38 from the stop 46 and will permit thespring plunger 33 to turn the parts from the Fig. 9 to .the Fig. 10position. In other words, the plunger will be effective to complete thefull quarter turn of the parts from the Fig. 8 to the Fig. 10 positionafter the parts have been turned as far as the Fig. 5) position by thecam 45, and said plunger will bring the' stop log 39 into engagingposition. Hence. thereafter when the date line is completed and theplaten is line spaced and returned toward the right, he stop lug 3!)will cooperate with the devh 45 and 46 to further turn the stop bar 21and to effect the arrest of the carriage at the point 2O in the writingline, where the name is to be begun. During the writing of the name linethe spring plunger 33 will act against a corner of the rectangular part31 to complete the quarter turn of the stop bar 21 to the Fig. 11position. at which position, it will be noted. the stop lug 40 will bein'position to engage the fixed can aid stop devices during the return.of th carriageand so as to arrest the same at the point which is thestarting point of the address line. During the initial letter spacemovements at the beginning of the address line the spring plunger 33will be effective before to complete the quarter turn of the parts fromthe Fig. 11 to the Fig. 7 position and will maintain the parts set inthe Fig. 7 position. In the Fig. 7 position. it will be recalled. thenovel stop devices are ineffective, so that during the next returnn'lovcmcnt of the carriage the novel movable devices will pass the fixedstop 45, 46 without cooperating therewith and the margin stop 48 willcooperate with the stop 51 to arrest the carriage at. 10 and it willfuri fine the left-hand margin of the body of the letter as long as theparts are set as shown in Fig. 7.

When the letter is completed and it is desired to begin the address atthe top of a new letter, the ope 'ator may-turn the stop bar 21 by meansof the finger piece or button 30 from the Fig. 7 to the Fig. 8 position,and the operations above outlined may be repeated.

Of course the arrangement of the stop devices on the stop bar 21 may bedifferent from that shoWIn-and either this arrangement or otherarrangements found suitable may be employed for other purposes thanletter headings, such, for example, as'addressing envelope and likework. It will be apparent thatthe novel stop devices will not interferewith the operation of the tabulating mechanism, and itis to beunderstood that suitable column stops may be adjusted at the properpoints along the stop bar 21 to cooperate with the denominational stops11 so as to enable tabular work to be performed without interferenc bymy present invention. In other words, the mechanism is capable ofoperating to vary automatically the point of arrest of the carriageduring movements of the same in either and both directions of itstravel.

My improvements, unlike certain prior constructions adapted to the samegeneral ends, are operative independently of the r0- tary platen of themachine so that the platen .wise thereof, thus minimizing the chance ofaccidental displacement.

My invention provides changeable stop devices independent of the platenand co'operative to arrest the carriage, said devices being controlledby means which operate automatically to change the stop devices to causethe arrest of the carriage, at different.

. points in its travel, one ofthe stop devices being thrown out ofaction and another into operative position automatically during carriagemovements so that on a later movement of the carriage it will bearrested at a dili'erent point in'its travel, thus enablingditl'crent-Jincs of writing to be begun atdifferent points. l n order toeffect this Variable arrest of the carriage provision is made forskipping or passing intermediate stops so that a stop beyond theintermediate stops may be ('HHHPtl to operate. The stop bar on thecarriage and the adjustable stops thereon may be said to comprise onestop,

member and the combined cam and stop device on the frame may be said tocomprise another stop member, although it will be obvious that the camand the stop on the frame may be made separate if desired. 'It will beobserved that the stop member comprising the stop bar is provided with aplurality of engaging or contact surfaces or connectingstop elements ordevices which project at angles to'each other from the stop bar, each'projecting in a direction radial of the turning a xis of the stop bar.Further it will be seen that one of the stop members is movable by thecarr ige at a recurrent series of progressively va ying points in itstravel; that these points may of course be varied to suit the Work. inhand; that the stop bar which; together :with the adjustable stopsthereon constitutesone of the stop members is provided with arectangular reduced portion which comprises a plurality of angulalrlydisposed fiat positioning faces, said faces cov operating with a springpressed device or plunger to assist in holding said stop member inpredetermined positions, said spring pressed device further operating toturn said stop member independently of the cam on the frame; and thatthere is combined withthe usual margin regulating devices or stops of atypewriting machine, stop positioning mechanism which issettable by handin positionto begin operation and which comprises a plurality, series orset of connected stops, said set of stops co-acting with another stop toarrest the carriage at varying points between the marginal positions defined by the usual margin regulating devices or stops of the machine.

Variouschanges may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof my in vention.

What I claim as new and'desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a typcwriting machine, the combination of a traveling carriage, arotary platen thereon, changeableistop,3devices in dependent of the platenI-an c' arrest said carriage, and means --operat1ng automatically tochange said stop devices to cause the arrest of the carriage at different points in its travel, said stop devices during such changes beingprevented from moving in the direction of carriage travel independent oftheir respective supports.v

, In a t vpcwriting machine, the com bination of a traveling carriage,aplurality of stop devices to arresting said carriage at a plurality ofditl'crcnt positions, and means operating autonmtically to throw one ofsaid stop devices out of action and another into operative position sothat on a succeeding movement of the carriage it will be arrested at adifferent point in itstravehsaid stop devices during such automaticopera tion being prevented from moving in the di rection of the carriagetravel independent of their supports.

3. In a typewriting machine, the eombination of a traveling carriage, aplurality of stops, and a cooperative stop, the plurality of stops beingmovable by the cooperating stop in one direction only and that directionbeing about a pivotal center, said cooperating stop moving saidplurality of stops to different positions to arrest the carriage atdifferent points in different lines of writing. 4 l

4. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a rotary platen, atraveling carriage supporting said platen, a stop member thereonindependent of the platen, means for preventing motion of said stopmember relative to the platen in a direction lengthwise thereof, saidstop member having a plu 'ality of engaging surfaces, and a stop memberon the frame of the machine, one of said stop members being movable bythe other stop member to different positions to cause said two stepmembers to eo-act di rcctly to arrest the carriage at different pointsin its travel.

5. In a. typewriting machine, the com bination of a rotary platen, atraveling earriage carrying the same, a stop member on said carriageindependent of the platen, and a sto p member on the frame of themachine, one of said stop members being provided with a pluralityof-contact devices each co acting directly with the other stop memberand thereby positioning the first member to bring different contactingdevices to operative position.

't'-. In a typewriting i'na'chinc, the com-' bination of a travelingcarriage, a set of stops, a'sn pport therefor, a cooperative stop, andmeans brought into play by the movement of -the carriage for causing achange in relation between the stops ot the set and the cooperative stopto cause said cooperative stop to engage at different times with'theseveral stops of the set to arrest the carriage at different positionsin dill iercnt lines of writing, the stops ofihe set beingpreventedfrommoving in the direction of the carriage travel independent of saidsupport. i

7. In a. typtnvriting machine, 'the coinbination of a rotaryplaten, acarriage carrying the same, a stop member on said carriage independentof the platen, means for preventing endwise movement'ot' said memberrelative to the platen, a stop member on the frame of the machine, andmeans automatically operating to cause a change in relationship of saidstopsso that they may be caused to arrest the. carriage at a recurrentseries of progressively varying points in its travel.

S; In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a stopmember thereon, means for preventing endwise movement of said stopmember relative to said carriage, a stop men'iber on the frame of themachine, one of said stop members being provided with ,a plurality ofcontact surfaces, and means automatically operating to cause the contactsurfaces of the last mentioned stop member to come into and go out ofoperative position so that they nay be caused to coope ate in recurrentorder with said other stop member.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a set ofstops, a cooperative stop, the set of stops being arranged to arrest thecarriage at different predetermined points by eo action with saidcooperative stop, all of the stops being held from motion in thedirection of the carriage travel independent of their supports, andmeans for changing the stops comprised in said set to enable thecooperative stop to skip intermediate stops of the set during returnmovements of the carriage.

10. In a ty )ewriting machine, the combination of a carriage,cooperative margin stop devices. and automatically operating means forchanging the, arresting position of one of said cooperative margin stopdevices to 'arrest thev carriage at difl'erent points indiii'erentlines, said auton'iatic means being" controlled wholly bymovements oi the carriage and the movement of said one of said stops toarresting position being wholly in one direction relative to itssnpport..-

11. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a traveling carriage, astop'bar rotatable thereon, means for preventing movement of said stopbar relative to the carriage inihe direction of travel of the same,stops adjustable on said bar, a cooperating frame stop, and means on theframe assisting to :nitoimilically turn said stop bar to bring ditlercntstops thereon into position to cooperate with the frame stop.

12. In .a typewriling machine, the combination of a traveling carriage,a set of stops thereon, a cooperating frame stop, and a single camcooperative with said stops individnally to move the entire set.

13. In a typcwriting machine, the combination of a stop member providedwith a plurality of stops, a cooperating stop, and n'leans directlycooperative individually with said plurality of stops to move them sothat they may cooperate one at a time with said cooperating stop.

14-. In a typcwriting machine, the combination of a traveling carriage,a stop bar rota e thereon, stops adjustable on..said

means for preventing endwise movement of said stop member relative tosaid carriage, a stop member on the frame of the machine, one of saidstop members being provided with a plurality of contact surfaces, andmeans automatically.operating to cause the contact surfaces of the lastmentioned. stop member to move into operative position one at a time andfurther to render all said contact surfaces inoperative.

17. In a typeWrit-ing machine, the combination of a rotary stop membercarrying a plurality of stops,a cooperative stop,a cam for turning saidstop member, and a springpressed device'assisting to hold said stopmember in predetermined positions.

18. In a typewriting machine, the combi-" nation of a rotary stop membercarrying a plurality of stops, a cooperative stop, a cam for turningsaid stop member, a springpressed device assisting to hold said stopmember in predetermined positions and to turn said stop memberindependently of said cam.

19. In. a stop-changing mechanism for a typevvriting machine, thecombination of a rotary stop member carrying a plurality of stops,automatic means for turning the same, and spring-pressed devices formaintaining said stop member set in predetermined positions.

20. In a stop-changing mechanism for a typewriting machine, thecombination of a rotary stop member carrying a plurality of stops,automatic means for turning the same, and spring-pressed devices formaintaining said stop member set in predetermined positions, saidspring-pressed devices operating also to turn said stop memberindependently of said automatic means.

21. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a toothedstop bar rotatable thereon, stops adjustable along said stop bar andprovided with radially projecting stop portions disposed at angles toeach other, and a cooperating member on the machine frame comprising acam terminating in'an angnlarly'disposed stop face.

22. In a typcvvriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a toothedstop bar rotatable thereon, stops adjustable along said stop bar andprovided with radially projecting stop portions disposed at angles toeach other, a cooperating member on the machine frame comprising a camterminating in an angularly disposed stop face, said stop bar beingprovided ith angularly disposed fiat positioning faces, and aspring-pressed plunger cooperative with said positioning faces.

23. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a toothedstop bar rotatable thereon, stops adjustable along said stop bar andprovided with radially projecting stop portions disposed at angles toeach other, and a cooperating member 0 the machine frame comprising acam terminating in an angularly disposed stop face, said stop bar beingprovided With angularly disposed fiat positioning faces, and aspring-pressed plunger cooperative with said positioning faces, saidplunger operating to turn said.

stop bar independently of said cam.

24. Ina typewriting machine, the eombination of a carriage, a toothedtabulator rack bar thereon, stops adjustable on said rack bar, saidstops having radially projecting stop portionsdisposed at angles to eachother, devices for preventing'endwise movement of said stop bar in itsbearings and for holding said stop bar in predetermined set positions, afixed supporting frame comprising guiding devices for tabulator' stopsand also cam and stop devices for said radial stop portions.

Signed at Walla Walla,'in the county of WValla Walla and State ofVVashington, this 22nd day of January A. D. 1910.

.. osoAR' L. INGRAM.

Witnesses: I

F. A. GAnnnoH'r, H. O. BRYSON.

